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Dec 20, 2009 23:52:57 GMT
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Problem with cars of our age is that driving one today you may be driving a bad example. THIS. Unless you're driving a minter, maintained as-new, you have no real idea how the XYZ-model of car dynamically behaved as-new. So you can only honestly say you're disappointed in that specific sample of ONE. The movie is rarely as good as the book, and so forth, yadda.
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Team Blitz Ford Capri parts worldwide: Restoration, Road, or Race. Used, Repro, and NOS, ranging from scabby to perfect. Itching your Capri jones since 1979! Buy, sell, trade. www.teamblitz.com blitz@teamblitz.com
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Dec 20, 2009 23:59:25 GMT
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after watching the BTCC for most of my childhood i always wanted a GSI Cavalier like the one Cleland had and my brother had a 4x4 gsi and it was so good to drive . and then when i was 22 i brought a gsi and it wasnt very good the turbo kept losing pressure and the 4X4 system kept failing i still have it its just sitting in my garage now
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purplevanman
Posted a lot
Way too orangey for crows
Posts: 3,830
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Lotus elan +2 always loved the looks and it was a Lotus so must be a racing car NOPE speed, handling and stopping were all short of the mark so i sold it Since then i just buy cars as they turn up, that way I don't build any expectations
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Welder, fabricator, general resto work
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Citroen DS, one of the few cars I'd consider switching the Amazon for. Drove one this year,so much slower and noisier then the 'zon, very disapointing. I'd still consider an XM though
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Remade In Australia thereimaginarium.com.au
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I´ve not been able to afford my dream car yet (Series 1 E type) so haven´t been disapointed but i know what you mean
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jonw
Part of things
Can open a Mouse with a File
Posts: 768
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Am with Oldbus... never been able to affrd my dream cars... mind you I know my dream car are poo so will never expect much!!
The worst car I drove was also one of my favorites... my Alfa Romeo 145.... The electrics were horrendous!! The tail lights worked occsaionally, the wipers packed up in the rain, the aux relays melted, it rusted, drunk oil and fuel like it was going out of fashon, the lift off oversteer was visous, the heater filled with leaves and clogged and if the temperature got anywhere near zero the handbrake froze on so the car couldn't be used!!
But...
It was great when it worked!!! The noise from the flat four was sublime, the handaling in the dry was excellent, it looked gorgeous and was fast.... I forgave it every time!!
The only time I have looked foward to piloting a vehicle and found it dissapointing was my test ride of a Buel motorcycle. I was so looking foward to it, came fully prepared for a good ride on a sharp handling machine with awsome torque and brilliant acceleration.... and my 650 Suzuki could do better!! The gearchange was slow, as was the bike, the ergonomics were awful, I was sore after 30 mins and BOY did it vibrate!!! Was gutted because I loved the looks and the sound....
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Suzuki SV650R The good Triumph T20 The Bad BMW G650GS The Ugly Matchless G12CSR The Smokey Toyota Hybrid One pint or Two?
Ingredients of this post Spam Drunken Rambling of author Bad spelling Drunken ramblings of inner voices Occasional pointless comments Vile beef trimming they won't even use in stock cubes
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Dec 21, 2009 10:13:12 GMT
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I drove a Series 1 XJ6 4.2 which was "disappointing" because the brakes were f**ked. This was very likely a problem with that specific example, not that all Jaguar S1's have such awful brakes. Errr... Most series 1 (apart from the V12) had three pot calipers and non vented discs, to stop 1700kg of car. If you have to do it quickly and more than once or twice in a short space of time then its not just going to be the brakes that are "f**cked". In short, they are terrible. they were good enough that in 1969 it was voted "the best car in the world" so how bad can they be? I routinely drive cars of that period with drum brakes. Problem with the one I drove was that the pedal went all the way to the floor without actually moving any fluid in the direction of the callipers, or so it seemed. Definitely not right.
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1941 Wolseley Not Rod - 1956 Humber Hawk - 1957 Daimler Conquest - 1966 Buick LeSabre - 1968 Plymouth Sport Fury - 1968 Ford Galaxie - 1969 Ford Country Squire - 1969 Mercury Marquis - 1970 Morris Minor - 1970 Buick Skylark - 1970 Ford Galaxie - 1971 Ford Galaxie - 1976 Continental Mark IV - 1976 Ford Capri - 1994 Ford Fiesta
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Dec 21, 2009 10:15:12 GMT
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I never saw what people see in DMC12s, until a mate bought one. Did a long run or two in that and i have to say, its just mental. I don't want one myself but I really get why people like them now.
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1941 Wolseley Not Rod - 1956 Humber Hawk - 1957 Daimler Conquest - 1966 Buick LeSabre - 1968 Plymouth Sport Fury - 1968 Ford Galaxie - 1969 Ford Country Squire - 1969 Mercury Marquis - 1970 Morris Minor - 1970 Buick Skylark - 1970 Ford Galaxie - 1971 Ford Galaxie - 1976 Continental Mark IV - 1976 Ford Capri - 1994 Ford Fiesta
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Dec 21, 2009 10:33:18 GMT
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also also also....
what do you expect from some of these cars? I think you have to think what the car is/was and set your expectations. If you get into an XJ-S or Delorean thinking it will be a nimble Lotus Exige like visceral sports car then you are not going to find it meets your expectations.
Compare cars of then to other cars of then not to other cars of now. really. A Leon Cupra R or whatever will knock the spots off an XK120 or an Austin Healey 100/4 on pretty much any track but thats really not the point is it?
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1941 Wolseley Not Rod - 1956 Humber Hawk - 1957 Daimler Conquest - 1966 Buick LeSabre - 1968 Plymouth Sport Fury - 1968 Ford Galaxie - 1969 Ford Country Squire - 1969 Mercury Marquis - 1970 Morris Minor - 1970 Buick Skylark - 1970 Ford Galaxie - 1971 Ford Galaxie - 1976 Continental Mark IV - 1976 Ford Capri - 1994 Ford Fiesta
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Dec 21, 2009 12:15:24 GMT
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EC1001 ;D which is running an alloy block with slide throttle injection. iv'e rebuilt the engine a few times to freshen it up. FXN is a lot faster but very harsh compared to CUT7. 350bhp in an 1100kgs body is still going to be very fast . (iv'e got old pistons out of 49FXN and CUT7 as a momento ) some may hate the way they drive, no creature comforts, no heater, noisey, but that is what they are about. a lot of effort goes into driving these cars but as i'm just a mechanic I can only imagine what these cars are like on the limit of grip at 150mph but I suppose if I didn't like driving these cars then I wouldn't enjoy my job Lucky git... I love that car. Is the block one of the Crossthwaite and Gardner ones? I know they made a new batch of them as the originals didn't take well to having the ZF five speed hung off the back. Regards Ric
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"You're about as likely to come across a fully functioning old Jag, as you are a taxicab that smells agreeable." - James May
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Dec 21, 2009 12:24:45 GMT
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^^ Thats the one and only Cut 7* *may not be the only Lightweight etype with that number plate
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Dec 21, 2009 12:27:02 GMT
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they were good enough that in 1969 it was voted "the best car in the world" so how bad can they be? I routinely drive cars of that period with drum brakes. Problem with the one I drove was that the pedal went all the way to the floor without actually moving any fluid in the direction of the callipers, or so it seemed. Definitely not right. I accept the fact it was the best car in the world back in it's day. But when it had mostly drum braked cars to deal with it wasn't going to have to work hard. There were a number of failings with it which is why they were addressed with the series 2. The heater is awful. It moves about 200cu ft of air per minute into the cabin and won't make it more than warm ish. The series 2 got uprated blowers and a better heater. The headlight main beam switch is buried under the clutch pedal. The brakes... you can just about lock them up. Look at the road tests back then and the brakes performance during fade tests were complained about, as was the pitiful handbrake. The series 1 wheels don't help, as theres no provision for coolong slots as on the series 2. If they were adequate, they would have gone on the V12. As it stands they weren't. They were marginal on the E-type too, and the 420. That's why the uprights for the vented discs still pull a good price and I can sell every set I can get my hands on straight away no haggling.
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"You're about as likely to come across a fully functioning old Jag, as you are a taxicab that smells agreeable." - James May
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Dec 21, 2009 13:47:30 GMT
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I didn't say the car couldn't be improved, after all, thats the whole point of this place after all, just pointing out that these things have to be judged in the standards of what was common place in the day. The fact so many production cars back then still used drum brakes, live axles, etc. says more for Jag's innovation than it does about the lethargy of design in others.
The car I drove the brakes would not stop it from more than 35 MPH. The pedal went to the floor. the guy trying to sell it me said "yeah, they probably need bleeding" with remarkable nonchelance as I rolled to a halt...
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Last Edit: Dec 21, 2009 13:48:39 GMT by akku
1941 Wolseley Not Rod - 1956 Humber Hawk - 1957 Daimler Conquest - 1966 Buick LeSabre - 1968 Plymouth Sport Fury - 1968 Ford Galaxie - 1969 Ford Country Squire - 1969 Mercury Marquis - 1970 Morris Minor - 1970 Buick Skylark - 1970 Ford Galaxie - 1971 Ford Galaxie - 1976 Continental Mark IV - 1976 Ford Capri - 1994 Ford Fiesta
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Dec 21, 2009 14:27:31 GMT
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I didn't say the car couldn't be improved, after all, thats the whole point of this place after all, just pointing out that these things have to be judged in the standards of what was common place in the day. The fact so many production cars back then still used drum brakes, live axles, etc. says more for Jag's innovation than it does about the lethargy of design in others. The car I drove the brakes would not stop it from more than 35 MPH. The pedal went to the floor. the guy trying to sell it me said "yeah, they probably need bleeding" with remarkable nonchelance as I rolled to a halt... I agree with judging the car by the standards of the day. Al in all, they were built to a price so the higher the spec the better the bits. The V12 was streets ahead of a standard 2.8 XJ. After what you say about the car you were testing, I'm inclined to agree they needed serious attention. So long as you're not repetitive, the car should dig its heels in (needs a firm shove though!) More than 4 applications from speed in quick succession and it's a lottery as to how long it takes to pull up! My dream car has always been the XJ6. My Dad had them when I was a kid, and I never wanted anything else. Don't get me wrong, I lust after some other cars, but the one car I'd keep is my S2 XJ6. I've had it five years (after spending fifteen looking for it) and I've still not driven it more than 15 yards.
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"You're about as likely to come across a fully functioning old Jag, as you are a taxicab that smells agreeable." - James May
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MWF
Posted a lot
Posts: 2,945
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Dec 21, 2009 14:29:24 GMT
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As Alistair says it's more about the expectations of the individual then the true merits of the car. Plus I believe it takes a bit of time to learn to love a car.
I once drove a Triumph Spitfire 1300 for 48 hours and the first few miles were terrifying, slow, vague steering, curse word brakes etc.... 1500 miles later I was having the time of my life down some Welsh lanes in the middle of the night.
DB9 seemed too big and stupid at first round town but after touring down A-roads at a good pace it all started to make sense.
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Darrel
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,167
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Dec 21, 2009 14:35:22 GMT
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For me my XJS drives perfectly. Its mechanically very good and the body etc is 100% ( it should be it cost me 4 times what my XJ40 did), however it was more the feel of the car, and how I felt driving it. I get in my XJ40 and you feel special. I just didnt get that feeling driving the XJS. Ive had the complete opposite before. As a teenager I hated 2cv's. Like most people at the time I thought they were a joke. However after my RS2000 rotted away beyond economical repair I scrapped it (this was some time ago bear in mind) I literally had a couple of hundred quid and could only afford a 2cv that a garage hadf in part x. After 2 weeks getting used to the funny gearstick I started to love the car. One of my favourite cars of all time. If I hadnt of owned one I would never of known what a joy it was to drive.
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Dec 21, 2009 15:30:10 GMT
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I bought one of the cars I have always wanted earlier this year - a 4.2 XJ6.
Up until this year, I have either owned or driven just about all the big saloons of the era, EXCEPT the jag. and there is at least 1 thing "better on paper" about each of them. But none of them make you feel like you are sat in a fighter plane, and none of them look like an XJ6 - even months after I got it, I would find myself gazing at it out of the window.
A dream car is about so much more than whether it goes faster/handles better than a-n-other car. On the measure of actually being any good to drive, NOBODY would own a VW Beetle? Me & my brother rebuilt a LHD 1200 Beetle - it was awful - the terror of floor-hinged brake pedal hooked up to drums, noisey, thirsty, 80mph flat out, heater that tried to toast the skin from your bones, terrifying handling in the wet if pushed, and we both absolutely loved it & just adapted driving to suit - 28mph, 1/2 mile gap to the car in front, radio on, windows down, roll-up on the go - we used to call it "jamaican driving".
Several cars have disappointed me - Pug 205 GTi & Ford Cortina mk5 are two that spring to mind, I thought they would be much better than they were. Others have taken me completely unawares and brought a huge grin to my face - a 1.1 Renault 5 with a 4-speed box bought for £250 taxed and tested, zippy, floaty, full of character. The one I really fell for was an Austin A55 mk2 that was just about clinging to an MOT. I'd have driven it round all day if my mate had let me!
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dungbug
Posted a lot
'Ooligan!
Posts: 2,852
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Dec 21, 2009 16:15:26 GMT
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When I first starting thinking of driving (about the age of 12) I wanted a Bug, the first time I drove one was after buying one It was slower than the car I had at the time (Mk2 '90 spec Astra), the heating was cr*p, the brakes were vague etc but something clicked. I've owned other retro's and driven no end (2CV's, Mini's, Moggy's, Fords, Hilman's, Vauxhalls, Rovers). some of them are better at some things, some are worse but none of them are a Bug. If I had a lottery win I can honestly say I'd still drive my 1200 Bug (although I'd add an eberspacher heater). I drove an XJS & an XJ6 Sport a few years back, nice motors, comfortable & powerful but was still happy with a Bug.....I guess the Bug is my 'dream motor' As Alistair said, people might 'expect' more from a 'dream car'. The Bug has faults the same as any car, classic or otherwise. I wouldn't own a Mini again but people live for them, horse for a course IMO.
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Last Edit: Dec 21, 2009 16:21:10 GMT by dungbug
Past: 13 VW Beetles from 1967 - 1974 Bay Window Campers (1973 & 1974) Mini's (1992 Cooper lookalike & 1984 '25 Anniversary) MK2 Polo Coupe S (1984 & 1986) MK2 Polo Breadvan (1981 & 1984) MK4 Escort (1989) MK2 Granada Based Hearse (seriously) Fiat Uno 60S (1986) Punto 60S (1998) Cinq (1997) 1998 Yamaha YZF600R Thundercat 2003 Ford KA
Current: 2004 Ford Focus (barely alive)
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Dec 21, 2009 17:26:56 GMT
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Another sucker for the TV Star cars here, loved/love Knight Rider First bang of reality was my mate buying a 2.8 V6 Camaro, nice pretty car but really a big USA size Chevette. Second hit was Knightcon 09 event, some inspiring cars there and also a reality check. many cars were still projects just like ours but a reality check on how much work these need and it will still be a Pontiac with electrics Naturally a well built (but slightly original) car is on my wish list one day. It has to happen even though I realise that its never going to be that car, other stuff to do first... And it hurts to know these don't live up too but then they are high priced. remember in the programme they were a less rich family with an old car. my mate has spent a lot perfecting his Roadrunner, so I know it would be a biiiig spend getting one exactly right. I more fancy a 70's Charger now, sure they are equally dangerous expensive and similar money pit! As a Flip, the MR2 was so good I bought another one for 'next time'
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it doesn't matter if it's a Morris Marina or a Toyota Celica - it's what you do with it that counts
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